Gate mechanism for a hopper



March 17, 1959 J. L. cox 2,877,938 GATE MECHANISM FOR A HOPPER Filed sept. 1:5, 1955 2,877,938 GATE MECHANISM FOR A HOPPER Joe L. Cox, Pomona, Calif., assignor to Pascoe Steel Corporation Application September 13, 1955, Serial No. 533,949

18 Claims. (Cl. 222-502) This invention relates to a gate mechanism for a hopper adapted to contain owable bulk materials such as hygroscopic cements, cementitious materials, aggregates of various size, granules, grain, and the like. The invention more particularly relates to a gate mechanism for a hopper-type vehicle embodying a novel construction of a valve means for initially commencing and facilitating ilow of bulk material from a hopper discharge opening and to cooperable closure means to provide a positive moisture and leakproof seal for said opening and adapted to temporarily removably mount boot or'y sock means at said opening for directing flow of material therefrom.

Prior proposed gate mechanisms for a bottom discharge opening in a hopper-type vehicle include valve means which are usually of butterily type. The butterfly type of valve is not adapted to completely seal the opening in closed position and is diicult to initially open because one side of the valve must be moved against bulk material held within the hopper. In the case of relatively finely divided or comminuted materials such as cement, the wedging of cement particles between edges of a valve member and sides of the opening does not become serious and does not obstruct initial opening of the valve member. When, however, the hopper is loaded with aggregate or coarse materials and particles, such coarse materials and particles tend to wedge between the valve mem-ber and sides of the opening, interlock, and strongly resist movement of the valve member. As a result, opening of a butterfly-type valve member under such conditions becomes quite diicult and requires substantial mechanical leverage or power.

When such hopper-type vehicles equipped with butterfly valve members carry finely divided material, a seal against moisture is not provided by the butteriiy valve member and additional cooperable closure means must be provided to seal and protect the contents of the hopper against moisture and leakage. Heretofore, such prior closure means have included various means for positioning and retaining a cover plate beneath said opening with resilient seal means about the margins thereof. In such prior proposed closure means the seal means were so placed that they were subject to abrasive action of contents carried with resulting destruction of an adequate seal against moisture. Furthermore, such prior closure means were diiicult to maintain to provide a seal and required frequent cleaning.

This invention contemplates a novel gate mechanism wherein valve means are so constructed and arranged within hopper discharge opening that load pressure of material carried by the hopper on a butterfly-type valve member may be initially partially relieved so as to facilitate subsequent rotation of the butterfly-type valve member. The invention further contemplates a closure mechanism for such a gate mechanism which is readily operable to eifectively seal the hopper opening and wherein the seal means is protected from the material carried by the hopper. The invention contemplates such a closure mech- States Patent O Y2,877,938 lfatented Mar. 17,

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2 anism wherein a minimum amount of cleaning and maintenance is required for proper operation of the closure means.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to disclose and provide a gate mechanism for a hopper discharge opening which obviates disadvantages of prior proposed gate mechanisms and provides new advantages which facilitate operation of the gate mechanism.

An object of this invention is to disclose and provide a gate mechanism for a hopper discharge opening wherein a novel cooperable arrangement of a valve means and a closure means is provided.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide such a gate mechanism wherein valve means are operable to initially relieve load pressure on one side of a valve member so as to facilitate rotation of said valve member to open position.

An object of this invention is to disclose and provide a gate mechanism as above wherein a valve means is provided which may be readily employed with either finely comminuted material or coarse aggregate material.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide a gate mechanism as described above wherein a closure means cooperable with a valve means provides an effective seal for the hopper discharge opening.

A further object of this invention is to disclose and provide a closure mechanism for a hopper opening wherein a cover plate to seal the opening and a discharge control device such as a boot, sock, or tube may be readily and quickly installed or removed.

Generally speaking, this invention contemplates a gate mechanism for a hopper discharge opening wherein the closure means therefor includes fixed guiding and positionng means carried by the hopper below the opening andadapted to slidably receive a cover plate or a boot discharge means to Ibe lifted from said guide means into cooperable relation with margins of said opening. The means for raising the closure plate include pivoted latches on opposite sides of said opening for engagement with corner areas of the closure plate, said latches being actuated by a toggle link means and a pivoted actuating rod. The closure means is cooperable with a valve means disposed in said opening and which comprises a pair of parallel spaced apart butterily valve members providing the main control for flow of material through said discharge opening. Between the butterfly valve members and rotatable about an axis parallel to the axes of the butterfly valve members may be a load pressure relieving valve member of cylindrical segment form. The pressure relieving valve member in closed position presents a cylindrical surface portion to be contacted Iby material held in the hopper. The planar surface portion of the pressure relieving valve member is normally directed downwardly but is adapted to be positioned vertically and opposite an edge of an adjacent buttery valve member by rotation of the cylindrical segment valve member so as to enlarge the space therebetween and to permit initial ow of material from above the proximate leaf portion of the butterfly valve member. Such pressure relief permits the butterfly valve member to be easily rotated.

These and many other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown. i

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view of the bottom portion of a hopper equipped with a gate mechanism of this invention, the view being partly in section and showing the gate means in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the hopper and vgate mechanism embodying this invention shown .in

Fig. l, partly in section, and showing closure seal means in down, non-sealing position.

Fig. 3 is an end view, partly in section, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the gate mechanism with valve means thereof in open position and a boot discharge means positioned below said valve means about said hopper opening.

In the drawings, a receptacle or hopper for gravity discharge of bulk material is fragmentarily shown, the bottom portion only being shown, the upper portion (not shown) being of any suitable construction. Hopper 10 includes a discharge opening 11 and a gate mechanism for said opening including a valve means 12 and a cooperable closure means 13, said valve means being arranged to regulate and control gravity discharge of material from the hopper when unloading and said closure means 13 affording a seal for said opening to protect material contents of the hopper from moisture and leakage.

Hopper 10 may include side and end walls 15 and 16 arranged at a selected angle so as to permit gravity discharge of material carried thereby. Side walls 15 may be vertically disposed if desired with end walls 16 disposed in converging relation. Hopper 10 may be carried by a chassis frame of a vehicle for transporting flowable bulk material. Hopper 10 may be used, if desired, for stationary immobile storage. The hopper lower portion shown may be an integral part of a main hopper body structure or may comprise a separately fabricated throat means xed, as by welding or riveting, to bottom margins of a main hopper body structure to define and form hopper discharge opening 11. Opening 11 may be of any suitable shape, exemplarily illustrated and described herein as rectangular.

Side and end walls 15 and 16 of hopper 10 may terminate in an outwardly directed peripheral flange 17 extending around opening 11 and providing downwardly facing peripheral margins 18 lying in a horizontal plane. Secured to said margins 18 may be a continuous peripheral seal means 19 of any suitable resilient yieldable material of selected thickness and width. As illustrated, seal means 19 is of rectangular cross section with its inner edge 20 spaced inwardly from the edge of opening 11. It will be apparent that flow of material downwardly through opening 11 will pass by edge 20 without abrasive contact therewith. Since the faces of seal means 19 are either vertical or face downwardly, deposit or collection of material thereon is reduced to a minimum.

On opposite sides of opening 11 and depending from flange 17 integral with end wall 16 may be xed a guide and positioning means 22. Each guide means 22 may include a vertically disposed wall extending for approximately the width of hopper opening 11 and terminating at its bottom edge in an inwardly directed guide lip 23 spaced below peripheral margins 18. Lips 23 in parallel and in the same plane provide guide ways adapted to slidably receive and position and obturate cover plate 24 below and in spaced relation to the plane of opening 11.

The cover plate 24 rnay be made of a suitable lightweight metal and has a conguration conforming generally to the configuration of opening 11. The cover plate 24 extends beyond edges of opening 11 to provide upwardly directed peripheral margins 25 adapted to be positioned and aligned in opposed relation to seal means 19. The plate 24 includes a depending peripheral ange 26 provided on at least one pair of opposite sides with an inwardly turned horizontal lip portion 27 adapted to be positioned upon guide lips 23 on the hopper. The cover plate 24 may be strengthened to provide rigidity by any suitable arrangement of reinforcing ribs extending between depending anges 26.

Means to raise and lower cover plate 24 and to hold cover plate 24 in tight sealed contact with seal means 19 in closed position may comprise a pair of spaced pivoted latches or dogs 29 at opposite sides of opening 11 and at each end of guide and positioning means 22. The

pair of latches 29 on one side of opening 11 may be simultaneously operable to lift one side of cover plate 24 by an actuating rod 30 which extends between said latches and which may be rotatably mounted in outwardly extending brackets 31 carried by end walls 16 of the hopper 1li. Rod 30 terminates beyond one of said latches in an upwardly inclined handle portion 32 adapted to be manually actuated.

Each latch 29 may be connected to actuating rod 30 by toggle link means including a pair of spaced actuating arms 34 fixed to rod 30, each arm 34 having a hub portion 35 through which rod 30 passes. The free ends of actuating arms 34 may be pivotally connected as at 36 to one end of a pair of spaced links 37, the links being disposed outwardly of arms 34. The opposite ends of links 37 may be pivotally connected at 38 to an outwardly directed lug 39 carried by latch 29. Each lug 39 is provided with a pivotal connection at 40 to bracket 31, said pivotal connection 40 being spaced inwardly of pivotal connection 38 and below the pivotal axis of rod 30.

Each latch 29 may be of angle section and includes an inwardly directed cover plate engaging portion 41 adapted to be swung inwardly beneath end areas or corners of plate 24 to lift said plate.

In operation of closure means 13 cover plate 24 may be first positioned upon guide lips 23 on the hopper by slidably inserting said plate endwise beneath the hopper from one side thereof. When cover plate 24 has been positioned and aligned beneath opening 11 and on lips 23, manual rotation of one of the actuating rods 30 will cause latches 29 connected thereto to simultaneously move about their pivotal connections 40 to bring the plate engaging portions 41 beneath corner areas of plate 24. As rotation of rod 30 continues the plate engaging portions 41 slide against the lip portions 27 of the cover plate and raise said cover plate off guide lips 23 and upwardly into sealing contact with seal means 19. The toggle linkage 37, when the rod 30 has been rotated to ultimate position, is so arranged that latches 29 will be locked in position. After latches 29 on one side have been moved into closed position, latches 29 on the other side of opening 11 may be brought into closed position in similar manner. The cover plate 24 is thus lifted and raised into tight sealing relation with seal means 19 which is placed under compression and leakage of material from opening 11 is positively prevented. It should also be noted that the seal of the peripheral margins of cover plate 24 with the seal means 19 also prevents introduction of moisture into opening 11.

Removal of cover plate 24 is accomplished by substantially a reverse procedure. Actuating rods 30 are rotated in the opposite direction to swing latches 29 outwardly from beneath plate 24. Plate 24 is thus lowered to xed guide lips 23 and removed by slidably withdrawing the plate from the lips 23. To direct llow of material through opening 11 after cover plate 24 has been removed and before valve means 12 is actuated to open position, a boot means 42 may be inserted beneath opening 11 upon guide lips 23 and moved into sealing relation with seal means 19 in a manner similar to that described for cover plate 24. The boot means 42 includes an open rectangular funnel-like frame 43 having an inlet opening at one end of substantially the same size and shape as opening 11. )Frame 43 includes a peripheral hollow section border means 44 adapted to be first slidably positioned on guide lips 23 and to be engaged at corners thereof by latches 29 for lifting to sealed relation with seal means 19. Secured to frame 43 at the outlet end thereof in any suitable manner may be an open-ended boot 45 of selected length and diameter. The boot 45 may be made of canvas or other suitable flexible heavy material. The upper open end of boot 45 may be sleeved over the outlet end of frame 43 and secured thereon by suitable rivets 46 and a securing ring 47, in any suitable manner.

A Boot means 42 not `only directs discharge How-of mate-l rial from hopper 10 but also reduces and confines within the boot dust which usually accompanies discharge of bulk material. The boot means 42 may be carried or stored separately when the vehicle is in transit. The cover plate and boot means are readily substituted one for the other and each time one or the other is slid along guide lips 23, any material deposited thereon will be pushed off the ends of the lips. `Maintenance for cleaning the closure means is thus reduced to a minimum.

The valve means 12 may comprise, in this example, a pair of pivoted elongated rectangular butterfly valve members 50 spaced apart and arranged in parallel. Each butterfly valve member 50 includes an outer edge 51 in close spaced relation to the opposed edge of opening 11 and an inner parallel edge 52 spaced from the axis of valve member 50 a somewhat less distance than edge 51 to provide a valve leaf portion 53 of uniform reduced width throughout its length. The axis of rotation of valve member S may thus-be said to be eccentric, such eccentricity being directed inwardly of and towards the center line of valve opening 11. Each butterfly valve member 50 may be made of any suitable reinforced construction having bottom faces 54 directed downwardly and in spaced relation to the cover plate 24 in closed position and lying in substantially the same plate as margins 18. The upper faces 55 of each valve member 50 may be inclined downwardly in opposite directions from the central portion of the valve member.

Each valve member 50 may be mounted on a shaft 56 transversely disposed with respect to the vehicle and including an outwardly extending, upwardly inclined handle 57. The shaft 56 maybe mounted in the hopper 10 in well known manner, suitable bearing means (not shown) being provided therefor in side walls 15 of the hopper. The shaft 56 may include a rectangular cross section portion to provide positive interlocking with valve member 50 for rotation with said shaft when turned by handle 57.

Between inner edges 52 `of the spaced valve members 50 may be provided a load pressure relieving valve member 59 which lies parallel to said edges 52 and which may be carried on a shaft 58 rotatable about an axis also lying parallel to the axes of rotation of shafts 56. Shaft 58 may be rotatably mounted in bearing means (not shown) in side walls 15 and may include a handle portion such as 57 of shaft 56, extending outwardly from the hopper.

The valve member 59 may be formed as a cylindrical segment provided ywith a part cylindrical external face portion 60 facing its hopper 10 and adapted to be contacted by material contained therein when valve member 59 is closed. Valve member 59 also includes a planar face portion 61 which in closed position lies in virtually the same plane as the bottom faces 54-of valve members 50 and in spaced relation to the cover plate 24 when in closed sealed position. It will be noted that the cylindrical segment construction of valvemember 59 provides an exterior curved face portion 60 which is spacedequally from the axis of rotation of valve member 59 and another surface portion 61 which is spaced much closer to thte axis of rotation of vmember 59.

' Thus, in operation of valve means 12, and after boot means 42 has been secured beneath opening 11, load pressure relieving valve member 59 may be first rotated counterclockwise (Fig. 4) so as to position planar face portion 61 opposite to edge 52 of one of the valve members 50. This may be readily accomplished because all points on the part cylindrical face portion 60 are equidistant from the axis of valve member 59 and rotation of said valve member will not tend to displace material which is adjacent to or in contact with said face portion in the hopper 60. When valve member 59 has been rotated 90, it will be apparent that the space D between face portion 61 and edge 52 of the adjacent valve member is enlarged so as to permit initial ow of material therethrough. Flow' of such material relieves pressure on narrow leaf portion 53 of valve member 50. Relief of such pressure permits valve member 50 to then be rotated clockwise as shown in Fig. 4 so as to fully open said valve member to permit flow of material therethrough. It will be apparent that since pressure is relieved on one side of valve member 50, the pressure of the material on the distal side thereof will facilitate rotation of buttery valve member 50.

After one valve member 50 has been opened, the pressure relieving valve member 59 may be rotated clockwise (Fig. 4) through 180 so as to facilitate opening of the otherl valve member 50 in the same manner as that described above. It will be understood that while the pressure relieving valve member 59 is illustrated as being positioned between two spaced apart buttery valve members 50, one valve member 50 in cooperable association with a pressure relievingvalve member 59 may be utilized if so desired. l

When the hopper 10 is loaded with finely comminuted material such as cement, it will be understood that such ne particles will seek their way between the opposed edges of valve members 59 and 50 and edges of the opening. For thisreason, the closure means 13 must be retained and held in tight sealed relation with seal means 19. The valve 'means will retain the material in the hopper while the boot means is being installed beneath the hopper for discharge of material.

When coarse aggregate is carried by hopper 10, it will be readily understood that particles of said aggregate will usually not find their way-through the openings between said valve members and the edges of opening 11 because of theirvsize. However, such coarse aggregate tends to interlock adjacent said opening so' as to make extremely difficult the opening-of an ordinary butterfly member. In this instance, 'the cylindrical segment valve member 59 provides an extremely important part in relieving pressure on a valve member 50 and permitting initial flow of said aggregate so that the valve member may be readily rotated. Even when the load is coarse aggregate, the cylindrical segment 59 may be readily rotated because of its particular configuration and the manner in which it contacts said load. It should be noted that the axes of shafts 56 and 58 lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the opening and it is understood that the axis of shaft 58 may be disposed slightly above or below said plane if desired.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the cooperable valve means and closure means forming the gate mechanism described above and all such changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. In a gate mechanism for a hopper having a bottom discharge opening, the provision of: a valve means for said opening including pivoted cooperable valve members arranged side by side, having parallel axes of rotation, and parallel opposed, ledge portions, one of said valve members being a cylindrical'segment with its curved surface directed inwardly of the hopper and its planar surface directed downwardly, said planar surface lying in virtually the same plane as downwardly directed faces of the other valve member; closure means for said opening below the valve means and to seal said opening, said closure means including immovable guide means on opposite sides of said opening and spaced therebelow, a rigid cover plate adapted to be supported on said guide means and moved into position below the opening on the guide means; and means for raising said cover plate from the guide means and pressing peripheral margins of the plate against downwardly facing opposed margins of the opening, said cover plate in raised position being virtually parallel to and proximate to the bottom faces of said valve members.

42. In a gate mechanism for a hopper having a bottom discharge opening, the provision of: valve means for said opening including a pair of spaced apart butterfly valve members arranged in parallel, a valve member between said butterfly valve members, arranged in parallel relation thereto, and in the form of a cylindrical segment with its planar surface directed downwardly and lying generally in the same plane as bottom faces of said buttery valve members, said butterfly valve members and said cylindrical segment valve member substantially closing said opening; and closure seal means covering said opening below the valve means.

3. In a gate mechanism as stated in claim 2 wherein said butterfly valve members are provided with valve leaf portions of reduced width adjacent to said cylindrical segment valve member.

4. In a gate mechanism as stated in claim 2 wherein each` butterfly valve member is provided with an eccentrically arranged axis of rotation, said axes being eccentric in the direction of said cylindrical segment valve member.

5. In a gate mechanism for a hopper having a discharge opening, the provision of: valve means positioned at said opening to control flow of material therethrough, said valve means including pivoted cooperable valve members provided with parallel axes of rotation, one of said valve members having a curvilinear surface directed toward the interior of said hopper and a planar surface outwardly of said opening, said one valve member being rotatable to position said planar surface opposite the other valve member to initially provide an enlarged space between said valve members whereby the other valve member may be relieved of pressure of material at one side thereof.

6. In a gate mechanism as stated in claim 5 wherein said other valve member includes a valve portion of reduced width adjacent to said one valve member.

7. In a gate mechanism for a hopper having a discharge opening, the provision of: valve means for said opening to control ow of material therethrough, said valve means including at least two valve members, one valve member being rotatable to initially relieve load pressure on an adjacent valve member; and closure means for sealing said opening including fixed guide means carried by the hopper on opposite sides of said opening and spaced therebelow, a cover plate adapted to be supported on said guide means and positioned below the opening on said guide means, and means to raise the plate off the guide means and into pressure contact with margins of the hopper defining said opening.

.8. In a gate mechanism as stated in claim 7 wherein said plate raising means includes pivoted latch means adapted to engage each corner of said plate to lift said plate from said guide means.

9. In a gate mechanism as stated in claim 7 wherein said means to raise said cover plate includes pivoted latch means at opposite ends of said guide means.

l0. A gate mechanism as stated in claim 7 wherein said means to raise said cover plate includes pivoted latch means on opposite sides of said opening.

11. In a gate mechanism as stated in claim 7 including actuating means, comprising link means, for said means to raise said plate from said guide means.

12. A gate means for a discharge opening on a receptacle comprising, in combination: a valve means for the discharge opening including a main flow control -valve member and a load pressure relieving valve member adjacent to and for said main valve member, said pressure relieving valve member being pivoted about an axis, having a surface portion in closed position adapted to be in contact with material forming a load at areas virtually equidistant from said axis, and having another surface portion with areas spaced closer to said axis whereby rotation of said pressure relieving member to position said other surface portion opposite to an edge of said main valve member enlarges space therebetween and relieves load pressure on vthe `proximate side of the main valve member.

13. In a gate mechanism for a hopper, the combination of: means on said hopper providing a discharge opening defined by downwardly facing peripheral margins lying in a plane; closure means for said opening including a peripheral seal means secured to said downwardly facing peripheral margins; guide means below the plane of said opening; a cover plate positionable on said guide means in alignment with said opening and said lseal means; means to lift the cover plate from said guide means and to hold said plate in pressure contact against said seal means; a main flow control valve member positioned at said opening above said cover plate in closed position; and a load pressure relieving valve member cooperably associated with said main valve member and having a surface configured to facilitate rotation thereof, when in contact with material carried by the hopper, to position a downwardly facing surface portion opposite and spaced from an edge of said main valve member.

14. In a gate mechanism for a hopper having a discharge opening, the provision of: valve means positioned at said opening to control flow of material therethrough, said valve means including pivoted cooperable valve members provided with parallel axes of rotation, one of said valve members having a curvilinear surface normally directed toward the interior of said hopper and a more nearly planar surface normally directed away from said opening, another of said valve members being a butterfly valve member having opposed vanes of unequal width with the shorter vane disposed toward said one valve member, said one valve member being rotatable to position said more nearly planar surface opposite said other valve member to initially provide an enlarged space between said valve members, whereby said other valve member may be relieved of pressure of material at one side thereof.

15. In a closure for controlling discharge from a discharge opening, the combination of: a main flow control member, said main flow control member including plate means positioned within said opening and pivotal along a virtually horizontal axis with a first portion of said plate means moving upward and a second portion moving downward; a load pressure relieving member, said load pressure relieving member being positioned within said opening adjacent said first portion of said plate means for substantially closing said opening when said plate means is disposed horizontally; and means for moving said load pressure relieving member away from said first portion providing space between said members permitting flow of material through said space from above said first portion.

16. In a closure for controlling discharge from a downwardly directed discharge opening, the combination of: a valve member in the form of a cylindrical segment having a cylindrical surface and a relief surface spaced closer to the axis of the cylinder than said cylindrical surface; means for mounting said valve member in said opening with said axis disposed horizontally; and means for rotating said valve member about said axis from a first position with said relief surface directed downwardly to a second position with said relief surface directed laterally.

17. In a closure for sealing a discharge opening in a hopper, the combination of: bottom cover guides carried onsaid hopper at opposite sides of said opening and spaced a fixed distance therebelow, said opening in said hopper being defined by downwardly facing peripheral margins; a cover plate occupying upper and lower positions, and in the lower position slidably resting on said guides and positionable below said opening, said cover plate having upwardly facing peripheral margins opposed to the peripheral margins on said hopper; and cover lifting means carried on the exterior of said hopper, said lifting means being movable from a first position out of engagement with said cover pl'ate in which position the latter will rest -on said guides, to a second position for engaging and raising said cover plate from said guides into pressure contact of said peripheral margins on said plate with said downwardly facing peripheral margins.

18. In a closure for sealing a discharge opening in a hopper, the combination of: bottom cover guides carried on said hopper at opposite sides of said opening and spaced a fixed distance therebelow, said opening in said hopper being dened by downwardly facing peripheral margins; a gasket mounted on said downwardly facing peripheral margins, said gasket having an opening therethrough greater than said opening in said hopper with said gasket set back laterally from said opening in said hopper; a cover plate slidably occupying upper and lower positions, and in the lower position resting on said guides and positionable below said -opening in said hopper, said cover plate having upwardly facing peripheral margins opposed to said gasket; and cover lifting means carried on the exterior of said hopper, said lifting means being movable from a rst position out of engagement with said cover plate in which position the latter will rest on said guides, to a second position for engaging and raising said cover plate from said guides into pressure contact of said peripheral margins on said plate with said gasket.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

